Can-opener.



No. 635,2l9. Patented Oct. l7, I899.

' L. C. WITKOWSKI.

CAN OPENER.

(Application filed Mar. 6, 1899.)

{No Model.)

NITED TATES LOUIS CHANDLER WITKOWSKI, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE OROWVN SELF-OPENING CAN COMPANY, OF WEST VIR- GINIA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 635,219, dated October 17, 1899.

Application filed March 6, 1899. Serial No. 707,965. (No model.)

To aaZZ whom, it may concern Be it known that I, LOUIS CHANDLER WIT- KOWSKI, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can-Openers; and'I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to can-openers, and particularly to that class of openers which are adapted to be applied to the top of a can and [5 given a rotary movement to out out the same; and the invention consists of a can-opener struck up from a single piece of sheet metal and formed with a pivot-point and a cuttingpoint, the can-opener being so constructed and proportioned that during transportation it will lie fiat on the top of the can without projecting beyond the edge of the same and without interfering with the cans packed above and below the same and when applied to the end of the can to cut out the same will project beyond the outer edge thereof to form an operating-handle.

The invention also consists in certain other details of construction, as Will be hereinafter '30 described and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a can-opener made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of a can with my improved cutter in position on the same and ready for shipment. Fig. 4c is a perspective View of a can with my opener on the same and in position for cutting out the top and the end partially 40 cut out. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of my improved can-opener formed with rolled edges, and Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse section through the same on the line of the cutter.

A in the drawings represents my improved can-opener, which is struck up from a single piece of sheet metal, preferably sheet-steel, and is formed with a suitable body portion a, a downwardly-extending pivot-point a, and a downwardlyextending cutting-point a The pivot-point and the cutting-point are formed by stamping out the metal and are preferably in V shape. The cutting-point a is preferably curved outwardly, so as to conform-to the curvature of the can and to facilitate'in the cutting operation, and may be adapted to cut on either edge. In forming the cutting-point the die either has to cut at an angle to form a cutting edge on the cutter or the cutting edge has to be formed in any suitable manner after the cutter has been stamped out, for if the cutter were simply stamped out vertically without the cutting edge being formed thereon it would not cut out the tin. The pivot-point a is also curved outwardly and is formed with a notch a, so as to readily engage the end of the can when applied thereto and lock under the same when the can-opener is drawn forward in the cutting-out operation, by which construction a very small pivot-point can be used and one which will readily turn in the end of the can without making a very large hole or resist the rotary movement of the can-opener in the cutting-out operation.

The body portion of the can-opener, being constructed of sheet metal and being made of the proper length, can be shipped on top of the can without extending beyond the edge thereof, but which when applied to the can for opening the same will extend beyond the said outer edge, so as to form a handle a to facilitate the cutting-out operation.

As stated above, the can openers are stamped out of thin sheet-steel and are made at one operation, thus rendering them very cheap and light, as well as practical for the purpose intended.

The can-opener may be provided with rolled edges a as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, by means of which construction all liability of the hand of the operator being cut or in any wise injured in opening a can is avoided.

A can with which my improved can-opener is shipped is preferably provided with a pocket, recess, or groove 19, as shown on the 5 can B in Figs. 3 and 4, forming depressionpoints in which the cutting-point a and the pivot-point of the can opener rest during transportation, so as to avoid any liability of said can being accidentally punctured or the ICC can above it being injured in any way. Instead of the depression, pocket, or recess being made in the form of a continuous circle two separated pockets, recesses. or depressions might be formed and the same object accomplished.

The end of the can may be provided with an index-mark or depression in the center to indicate where the pivot-point is to be passed through the end in applying the can-opener to the same.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. As an improved article of manufacture, a can-opener stamped from a single piece of fiat thin sheet metal, the body portion of which is horizontal and fiat throughout its length, said body portion being formed with a vertically-arranged pivot-point and a vertically-arranged cutting-point both of which extend from the under side of the opener, at right angles thereto, said opener having such a construction and shape as to be capable of resting flatly on top of the can without extending beyond the periphery of the can, and when applied to the can for opening the same will project beyond its outer edge to form a handle, substantially as described.

2. As an improved article of manufacture, a can-opener stamped from a single piece of flat thin sheet metal, the body portion of which is horizontal and fiat throughout its entire length, said bodyportion being formed with a vertically-arranged pivot-point and a verticallyarranged cutting-point both of which extend from the under side of the opener, at right angles thereto, said points being curved outwardly in horizontal crosssection and the said opener being of such a construction and shape as to be capable of resting flatly on top of the can without projecting beyond the periphery thereof during transportation, and when applied to the can for opening the same will project beyond the outer edge thereof to form a handle, substantially as described.

3. As an improved article of manufacture, a can-opener stamped from a single piece of thin flat sheet metal and having rolled edges formed by turning the metal over along said edges, said can-opener being formed with a pivot-point and cutting-point, both of which extend from the under side of the opener, at right angles thereto, the body portion of the opener being horizontal and flat throughout its entire length so as to rest flatly on top of the can without extending beyond the periphery of the can, and when applied thereto for opening the same will project beyond the outer edge thereof to form a handle, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS CHANDLER WITKOWSKI. Witnesses:

JOHN L. FLETCHER, EDWARD T. FENWICK. 

